Upcoming events in Marrakech – the Biennale. Join a crowd of art lovers going to see the Marrakech Biennale – from February 24th to May 8th, 2016. The theme of this year’s event is “Not New Now / Quoi de neuf là”

The Marrakech Biennale, 6th Edition, has made great efforts to build bridges and foster mutual understanding and collaboration between regions in the contemporary art field.

The art scene in Morocco has been growing in recent years and Marrakech, with a number of new modern art galleries, has become the most sought-after and stylish destination in North Africa.

For lovers of the stars – come and visit Marrakech between November 19th and 29th, 2015.

After the resounding success of the two festivals Astronomy in Ifrane and Rabat. It is the turn of the ochre city to welcome lovers of the science of the universe for the 16th edition of the Festival of Astronomy in Marrakech.

The Marrakech Museum for Photography and Visual Arts (the MMPVA) currently has its home in the the El Badia Palace, in the southern portion of the medina of Marrakech. The palace is in fact a ruin that originally housed Ahmad al-Mansur, the sultan of the Saadi dynasty, so it’s good that some part of it will be put to artistic use.

The current exhibition is entitled “Traces of the Future” – a somewhat contradictory title. The artworks combine social observations with an involvement in issues that constitute the major challenges of tomorrow’s society. It has been hailed as “a celebration of the Moroccan contemporary art with visionary overtones”.

Never mind the classic European cycling climbs of the Alps and the Pyrenees, there are plenty of other mountainous areas to get stuck in to before the summer months.

After the triumph of the first Marrakech Atlas Etape in 2013, registration is now open for cyclists who wish to join in 2014.

Cycling seems to be all the rage in Morocco and the Marrakech Atlas Etape is one of the toughest challenges. The full route is an eye-watering 140km but there are other options too. There’s also a 60km option, with just 360m of climbing.

It’s inevitable that 2014 will prove just as popular as last year given that the route not only provides participants with a truly memorable experience, but also raises vital funds for the worthy charity Education For All (EFA).

This Moroccan-based charity, which was founded in 2007, helps to educate under-privileged young girls in the Atlas Mountains.

Their motto is “We may not individually be able to change the world but we can help to make a difference to a person’s life and indirectly many more.”

Every year, more than 6000 runners from all over the world descend on Marrakech to compete in one of the fastest international marathon circuits in the world. January in Marrakech is mild and sunny, offering optimum conditions for runners as well as avenues lined with palm, olive and orange trees.

Under High Patronage of its Majesty the King Mohammed VI, the International Marathon of Marrakesh will take place next year on January 26th 2014. The first ever International Marathon of Marrakesh took place in 1987 when French runner Jacques Boxberger won the men’s race. The inaugural race was especially memorable as the women’s race was won by Moroccan Nadia Colombero who was only 14 years old at the time and whose win made her one of the youngest ever winners of an international marathon.

There is a lot of excitement building about the Marrakech Museum for Photography and Visual Art (MMP+) which is set to open in 2016.

Ahead of the launch MMP+ invited five highly-regarded photographers from Magnum Photos to shoot the people and streets of Marrakech over the course of two weeks. The results can now be viewed at the exhibition ‘Portrait of Marrakech.’ Curated by Simon Njami, the show is on until 1 February 2014 at the El Badi Palace – the museum’s temporary home.

Of all the photographers exhibiting, we particularly recommend the South African photographer Mikhael Subotzky, who took to the back of a motorcycle to take his shots.

This unusual tactic allows the viewer a ‘similar but different’ examination of familiar streets. By using six different cameras, all of which were mounted to the vehicle, the result is dizzying and hypnotic. The cameras used were the sort that estate agents normally like to employ in order to capture the inside of buildings and give a 360-degree viewpoint.

His cameras expertly recorded the everyday life of Marrakech. There are all the usual scenes of the tourist buses, carts, donkeys, women out shopping and children laughing but the way they have been captured is entirely new. It is this mixture that makes his work so fascinating.